We provided security at Ayawaso West Wuogon commemoration – Police

The Accra Regional Police Command of the Ghana Police Service has rejected reports that it did not send security detail to the one-year commemorative durbar of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence. According to the Command, the Airport Divisional Command led teams from its jurisdiction with three support teams from the Regional Operations Counter Terrorism Unit and SWAT. “There were also Criminal Investigation Department personnel, Operations Calm Life (Police Military Collaboration) and officers from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit,” it said in news release on Saturday. This comes in the wake of concerns by the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the police abandoned them. It, therefore, warned that it will ring the changes in the Service should it win power in 2020 due to partiality on the part of the police. Apparently, the law enforcers were said to have been present at a similar event held in the constituency by Member of Parliament Lydia Seyram Alhassan, who emerged victor in that controversial by-election. A leaked memo ahead of the January 31 commemoration directed personnel not to be at the La Bawaleshie Presby School Park to provide security for the NDC. Leader of the NDC and former President John Dramani Mahama chastised the police for deserting the programme. Other speakers including Kwesi Pratt Jnr sounded a warning to the police that it will resist any attempt to cower patriotic Ghanaians. But the police said even a 10-member stand-by force made up of military officers was positioned at a tactical location “to offer the needed assistance when and where necessary”. Signed by DSP Effia Tenge, the statement said the arrangements made were to ward off any criminal elements at the grounds. “The Regional Command will like to reassure all political parties and the general public that it will remain impartial to perform its constitutional mandate of providing security for all and sundry,” it concluded. By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana Follow @kwame_amoh]]>